Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Every good housewife needs one....

I think I finally found it. My "signature dish". Something that Hubby loves, and when friends are craving it, I am the one they call. My dish.....Cajun Chicken Pasta.

Hubby loves anything Cajun flavor, so it is no surprise I started fooling around with Cajun inspired dishes. My first attempt at this, I made it when we had friends over for dinner, and I was not completely satisfied, though they loved it. Recently, one of my friends called me saying she was craving it and asking if any restaurants in town had anything equivalent. A few days later, I made some for her family, but she never even got to try it, everyone else ate it. I had revamped my recipe, and it was much better. So tonight, we are tentatively planning a girls night, and my contribution is Cajun Chicken Pasta. Of course, Hubby will get some too :)

So, I decided to share my secrets with you all. Feel free to modify this recipe as you see fit, it came from my little ole head, and I usually change things here and there anyway.

First, cut up 2-3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken into chunks. I use either breasts or tenders, both work well. Put them in a pot (yes a pot, this is going to grow into a large concoction) with half a stick butter or margarine on medium heat.

Once butter is melted and chicken begins to cook, add 2/3 cup liquid. I tend to use white wine (this time I used a nice Niagara from the Finger Lakes in NY) but chicken broth can also be used. Just do not use water, use something that will give more flavor.

Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring periodically, until chicken is completely cooked. There should still be a good bit of liquid on the chicken, if not, add a little more.

Now it is time to add your vegetables. This is where you can really personalize it with whatever fresh or frozen veggies you like. This time, I used fresh tri-color peppers, frozen shoepeg corn, and frozen pearl onions.

After veggies are added, time to add your favorite Cajun or Creole seasoning. The first time I used Tony's, and I found it way too salty. The last two times, I used Pampered Chef Creole Rub for Adobo Chicken, and it works perfect. I also never measure seasoning, I just put it in to taste.

Cover this and let it continue to cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Check every few minutes and stir if needed.

Once the veggies are all nice and tender, add one bar of cream cheese, cut into cubes, and stir into mixture until it melts and makes the liquid sauce creamy.

Then add one can condensed cream of chicken soup. Stir well, cover, and heat on low for 5 minutes, then serve over your favorite pasta.

As you can see, this is very thick and hearty. I hope some of you try this some time (and make variations on the recipe) and tell me how it went.

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I am a small town wife. Sometimes, ridiculous things happen in my life. They are probably minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but I often find them humorous, and think others might as well. And so, I have decided to share.